DARK RAINBOW

Spare styling and effectively controlled tension for the offbeat British army experience of Ranny, whose exaggerated need for excitement was priminally perverted by regimentation, whose strength was weakened, whose weaknesses were hardened by monotony and loneliness for Elizabeth, his new, young wife. anny --carefree, charming, reckless, with a trigger temperament -- enlists with enthusiasm, but is soon soured by king around and not connecting with the war front. Drinking heavily, he goes home AWOL and seven days later is called for by a military escort. He jumps the train, accidentally kills one of the guards, and -- persuading Elizabeth to join him -- cludes the dragnet. Wanting to clear his record for the sake of the coming child, and not realizing how deeply Ranny has involved himself. Elizabeth turns him in, thus destroying instead of saving him. There's tenderness here and sympathy. A very neat job -- possibly third specialite de la maison (following Lost Weekend and Brainstorm). A study in pathological unbalance.